Cochon555is excited to add more names to an already stellar lineup from the good food movement. From notable judges to celebrated somms, one chef will be crowned for their whole pig cookery skills in addition to winning an amazing 4-day wine and gastronomy experience in Rioja, Spain’s most prominent wine region.

The event is set to take place Sunday, February 11th at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas – Official Host & Hotel. Cochon555 offers guests a unique way to sample food cultures near and far, putting the focus on a safer, more honest food system. National in scope, the culinary tour will go to some 14 cities in total in 2018. The event also benefits a greater – and absolutely delicious – cause in the form of Piggy Bank, a farm-in-the-making devoted to sharing free heritage breed genetics with small family farms. Tickets can be purchased online.

This year’s competing chefs included Host Chef Christ of Syré of LAW at Four Seasons Resort and Club Dallas at Las Colinas, Josh Sutcliff & Junior Borges of Mirador, David Uygur of Lucia, Matt McCallister of FT33, and Misti Norris of Petra and the Beast. The chefs prepare boldly flavored dishes in this friendly competition using whole heritage-breed pigs from family farms in a nose-to-tail, whole animal showcase. A crowd of a few hundred pork-loving gourmands and twenty notable judges will score each chef on utilization, global influences, cooking techniques, overall flavor, and the “best bite of the day.” Among this year’s group of twenty notable judges include a lineup of local luminaries such as Chef Kent Rathbun, Daniel Vaughn of Texas Monthly, Nicolas Yanes of Juniper (Austin), well-known Emcee Billy Harris, as well as our headline all-star butcher, Zach Dunphy from Commissary Dallas

Cochon555 also challenges five celebrated sommeliers in the third annual “Somm Smackdown” to use every bit of their accumulated knowledge and inspiration to find the best wine to pair with the dishes prepared by competing chefs. This year’s somms include Emily Tolbert of Del Frisco’s, Houston, Courtney Keeling of Graileys, Cameron Cronin of Sachet, Julia Dixon of ArtProWine, Austin, and Alicia Schmidt of Emmer and Rye, Austin. Additionally, “Punch Kings” features five of the city’s top barkeeps facing off in a whole-bottle punch bowl competition, challenging them to each make their own twist on the original, historic large-format communal libation righteously prepared with Breckenridge Bourbon

Tickets for general admission start at $130; VIP tickets (early admission + exclusive access to taste entries from the Somm Smackdown and Punch Kings competitions) are $200; and to purchase tickets, visit the website for more information.

Communal feasting is an integral part of the culinary fabric at Cochon555; the events are theaters for innovative spirit, wine, and cocktail experiences — all in, we’re talking about 1,500 pounds of responsibly raised heritage breed pork and dozens of delicious drinks from some of the best bars in Dallas. TheWelcome Lounge includes punches featuring Buffalo Trace and our signature Cheese Bar featuring Cello, Yellow Door Creamery, Cypress Grove and Scardello Cheese. Enjoy a special welcome bite known as the “Texas Twinkie” from Hutchins BBQ. Sip sparklers from Dry Soda and Topo Chico and The Manhattan Project featuring premium bourbon from Eagle Rare, Buffalo Trace, and Breckenridge topped with Luxardo cherries. Cochon555 will debut a new experience called Trompo “Hora de Familia” in celebration of its first Global Cochon555 event in Mexico City later this year.

Learn about pairings at the TarTare Bar aligned to the wines of Antica Napa Valley, stunning Rosés from Château D’Esclans paired with organic pates from Les Trois Petits Cochons and an innovative spin on dessert spotlighting a notable pastry chef working with Perfect Puree of Napa Valley. An array of wines grouped under the “5 Winemakers” banner will feature Pax Wine Cellars; Twomey Cellars; Sandhi and more. Further tables include Wines from Rioja, Silver Oak, Azzurro Wine Company and Wines of the World. The chefs are called to stage, everyone raises a glass to family farmers and the winner will be crowned the “Princess or Prince of Pork,” and given a place at our national championship, Grand Cochon, to be held in Chicago on September 30, 2018.